Jim Snow (Executive Director)

Jim, a Chemical Engineer by training and economist by vocation, spent 12 years in the natural gas industry (AGL) holding several Senior Executive positions involved with the technical end use of energy, regulations and tariffs, contract pricing, analysis of energy projects investment, strategy, mergers and acquisitions and the promotion and marketing of energy.

Jim has Executive General Management experience running a major Development and Construction business for listed entity Energy Developments Ltd. This encompassed power station developments and CNG and LNG facility developments in Australia. Jim has also been the CEO of a major electrical power systems contracting company specialising in the design and construction of overhead power lines and electrical contracting.

Jim has some 25 years leadership experience in consulting to the energy industry, industrial energy consumers and the water industry in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and the Middle East. This has involved him in the development of consulting businesses including the founding of two leading practices Energetics: CEO Consulting and Vice President CRA International out of Boston, and several smaller undertakings in that time.

Jim is also a Graduate of the Australian Staff College (Mt Eliza), a Panel Member of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and past FIEAust.

This report is focused on identifying the potential cost impacts, for both the upstream and downstream networks of the wholesale service provider (i.e., Sydney Water or Hunter Water) resulting from the operation of a recycled water plant.

Energy Policy Institute of Australia Policy Paper #2: The Economic Impact of High Energy Prices in Australia” was guest authored by Executive Director and Adjunct Professor (UQ) Jim Snow in February 2014 and is getting a new airing with the whole debate on the costs of electricity and gas in Australia and its impacts on businesses and consumers.

The opaque nature of Australia’s wholesale natural gas markets and the deregulation of natural gas retail markets in most states and territories mean there is limited information in the public domain about the gas prices paid by industrial and residential customers. This report is intended to help fill this information gap and inform market participants, consumers and policy development.

Executive Director, Jim Snow presented a paper at the Australian Institute of Energy Forum on Poles and Wires in Newcastle with the NSW Minister for Resources and Energy the Honourable Anthony Roberts.

Jim Snow presented a landmark paper in 2009 (featured the death spiral effect for electricity consumption) and followed this up in 2010 taking a look at the NSW’s Electricity Future 2020 (and beyond): What will it look like and how do we get there?